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SINGAPORE: Some members of the public were recently asked to pay fines based on false documents sent via WhatsApp that allegedly come from the Corrupt Practices Investigation Office (CPIB), the agency said on Wednesday (November 18).
The documents falsely indicated that certain bank accounts of individuals, companies and third parties would be “frozen within 24 hours for the investigation of alleged crimes of money laundering,” the CPIB said in a notice.
The documents came with images of the CPIB logo, and some also featured the signature of a CPIB officer.
“The CPIB has reviewed the documents and found that they are fictitious in nature,” the agency said.
“Some telltale signs in the documents include spelling and grammatical errors.”
READ: ‘It’s a judgment decision’: How banks handle scam cases
Members of the public who have received messages containing alleged CPIB documents that may be of a “dubious nature” are encouraged to call the CPIB hotline at 1800-376-0000 for assistance in verifying the authenticity of the documents.
“Do not remit or transfer money for any transaction based on instructions that may be included with such documents,” the agency said.
They should also “refrain from providing personal information and bank details to the sender,” he added.
The CPIB said it took “a serious view of spoofing public agencies for undesirable or scam purposes.”
